Navarro County Commissioners Court met on Monday, June 23, 2008, to discuss the creation of Southport Fresh Water Supply District.

According to a report given to the commissioners by Elections Administrator Danda Parker, the petition was filed on June 4, 2008, and a hearing was set for Monday’s meeting but representatives from the proposed water supply district were not present.

Judge H.M. Davenport said there were some issues concerning the water supply district but since he was out of town at a conference last week, he hasn’t had the opportunity to look at all of the paper work, or talk with the Lake Planning and Zoning Board.

According to Vicki Stoecklein, director of Lake P&Z, the plans began as a Public Improvement District, but since commissioners wanted the proposal to be discussed further with LP&Z, the group has changed to a water supply district.

“By statute,” Davenport said, “and since they have gone through the appropriate steps we have to certainly do something within the next 10 days.”

Since the proposal was part of the public hearing session of Monday’s meeting, Stoeklein said the issue could be moved from meeting to meeting.

“You can table it today,” said Stoeklein, as she addressed her comments to Judge Davenport.

“We can … but we will have to call another meeting to approve it between now and June 30th,” Davenport said. “If it’s not going to be on your (LP&Z) agenda until sometime in July then that won’t work. To get this to go forward, and since they have taken the appropriate steps, as I understand it election wise, then we have to within the next 10 days make a decision.”

Stoeklein said that was not the case as the proposed district’s legal advisor had told her.

Commissioner Kit Herrington said their legal department wanted to look at the issue a little more, and he suggested just tabling the request and not rush into anything.

Immediately after Herrington’s comments, Judge Davenport declared an open public forum for anyone wishing to speak either for or against the issue.

Bruce Howard, president of 287 Fire and Rescue, spoke in favor of the proposed district, while Grover Pearson wanted to know more about the district and how it would affect the county if another governing entity were to be set in place, especially one that would be collecting taxes and levy bonds.

Stoeklein elaborated on those concerns and told commissioners that LP&Z was looking at those same issues.

“They will be a governing entity,” said Stoeklein, “and they will have the authority to collect taxes, levy bonds, and they will also have eminent domain. Those are the main issues that LP&Z are going to look at.”

After Judge Davenport closed the public hearing, Commissioner Herrington made the motion to table the item, which was seconded by Commissioner Faith Holt.

The commissioners voted unanimously to table the issue until more information comes forth, and if so, Judge Davenport said a special meeting would be called sometime in the next 10 days.

 Additional items included on the agenda were the approval of service agreements with Webex and Neopost for the North Texas H.I.D.T.A.

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